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A Gift of Knowledge for Genealogists

If you are looking for a genealogy themed gift that is unique, why not get together with a couple of people and give your favorite genealogy buff the gift of discovering genealogy in a whole new way. Ancestry.com has a new product, Ancestry DNA, that enables users to discover their ethnic roots and further their family history research. Genetic genealogy is an area that many genealogists are curious about but might not take the initiative to explore on their own.

Ancestry DNA is what its name implies, a DNA test. Since it links into a person’s Ancestry.com account, it can provide them with access to additional ancestors when connections are discovered. The DNA test is easy to use, and results are available to the user within just a few weeks of taking the test.

One of the fun things about Ancestry DNA is that it provides users with information about their genetic ethnicity. Some people have a very clear idea of the particulars of their ethnic background. Others, like myself, wish that they knew more. For example, I know that I am approximately a quarter Irish, a quarter Italian, and a quarter French Canadian. The other quarter is something that I can only describe as “assorted European” ancestry, and I would love to learn more about the details. Something like Ancestry DNA could also help me to discover what my Mammaw was talking about when she spoke of the “Black Dutch” in our family tree – were they Melungeons, Native Americans, Romany, or some other type of ethnicity? Perhaps one day I will find out, through genetic testing.

One more fun fact about Ancestry DNA is that the more people use it, the more connections they and others who use it in the future can make. As new users take tests and their results go into the system, new matches and connections may appear for users who have already taken the test. It truly has the potential to expand a person’s knowledge of their family history in a number of ways that they may not have explored previously.